VH-INU. Douglas DC-6B. c/n 44694-558. Was also registered as: B-2005. |
This aircraft was ordered new by Australian National Airways Pty Ltd - ? It was configured to seat 58 First Class passengers but was later changed to 60 seats Had a six-seat 'Starlight Lounge' fitted at rear of the aircraft but these seats were not sold on flights to Perth Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-INU - December 16, 1954 Registered to Australian National Airways Pty Ltd, Melbourne Departed Los Angeles on the delivery flight to Australia - February 27, 1955 It arrived at Melbourne (Essendon) on completion of the delivery flight - March 03, 1955 Delivery route: Los Angeles - San Francisco - Honolulu - Canton Island - Nadi - Melbourne Flight crew: Captains A. Wales, V. Cerche, J. A. Still The aircraft was named 'Kwinana' (pretty maiden) Operated its first revenue service Melbourne (Essendon) - Perth - March 09, 1955 Established new Adelaide - Perth record of 4 hours - April 13, 1955 Transferred to Ansett-ANA following the Ansett purchase of A.N.A. - October 21, 1957 Leased to Trans-Australia Airlines in exchange for 1.5 of their Viscount 720 fleet - February 26, 1960 The leasing fee was set at 199 Pounds 12 Shillings per day Operated its first revenue service with Trans-Australia Airlines - March 07, 1960 It was sub-leased to T.E.A.L. - 1960 Operated the final Trans-Australia Airlines revenue service - August 14, 1966 Returned to Ansett-A.N.A. at the end of the lease - August 29, 1966 Placed in storage at Melbourne (Essendon) Airport in the basic 'TAA' livery - August 29, 1966 Returned to service with Ansett-ANA following the loss of the Viscount 'VH-RMI' - September 1966 Chartered to Qantas for use on the Norfolk Island route due to a pilots strike - November 28, 1966 Operated final revenue service - May 11, 1967 Withdrawn from service and returned to storage at Melbourne (Essendon) Airport - May 11, 1967 Departed Melbourne (Essendon) on the ferry flight to Taiwan (Taipei) - December 15, 1967 Sold to Far Eastern Air Transport (F.E.A.T.) via Australian Aircraft Sales - December 18, 1967 Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - December 18, 1967 Entered onto the Taiwanese Aircraft Register as B-2005 - December 18, 1967 It was leased to Air Vietnam - June 1968 The aircraft was destroyed when it crashed into a school at Nha Trang, near Saigon, Vietnam - December 22, 1969 The crash was caused by the detonation of an explosive device in the cabin resulting in damaged hydraulics The aircraft overshot the runway during landing and was destroyed, killing many Cancelled from the Taiwanese Aircraft Register - ? |
VH-INU. Australian National Airways Pty Ltd - 'Kwinana' in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown. (B. Colledge Copyright Image 1125-300.) |
VH-INU. Australian National Airways Pty Ltd - 'Kwinana' in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown. (B. Colledge Copyright Image 1125-437.) |
VH-INU. Ansett-ANA - in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-161.) |
VH-INU. T. A. A. - in the basis Ansett-ANA livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, March 1960. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-131.) |
VH-INU. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, date unknown. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-066.) |
VH-INU. TAA - in the basic livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, September 1966. (G. Bennett Collection Copyright Image 1125-427.) |
VH-INU. TAA - in the basic livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, September 1966. (G. Bennett Collection Copyright Image 1125-428.) |
VH-INU. Ansett-ANA - in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1125-162.) |
VH-INU. Ansett-ANA - in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown. (G. Bennett Collection Copyright Image 1125-426.) |
VH-INU. Ansett-ANA - in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown. (G. Bennett Collection Copyright Image 1125-425.) |